Archaeological Interests
Tiree has been inhabited since pre-history. Bronze and Iron Age remains reveal that thousands of years ago other travellers found this island an essentially attractive place to settle in! Archaeology is such a specialized subject that it can only be touched on lightly in this little guide, but the H.M.S.O. publication Argyle Vol. 1 Mull. Tiree, Con and Northern Argyle" gives detailed information on Tiree's archaeological past.
Stone Circles
At Moss about a mile south of Hough House are the remains of two stone circles and a cairn.
North of Caolas road, about 1/4 mile SW of Dun Beag lies another stone circle. It is difficult to find as it merges with outcrops and has a dry-stane dyke running through it.
Behind Ben Gott to the north of Loch na Buaile is a slight walled enclosure containing a cairn near its southern end.
Stone circle hunting is a very pleasant occupation as the visitor is led into the interior of Tiree which is a delightful experience - peaceful and solitary.
Standing Stones
At Balinoe, Barapol and Caolas are three splendid standing stones. I suspect there are others, e.g. behind the ancient chapels at Kirkapol and on the high land to the east of the bungalow opposite Park House at Balephetrish.
Crannogs
Crannogs are ancient Celtic loch or bog dwellings dating from the Bronze Age to the 16th century AD. Tiree has three or fours apart from Island House which it is thought may have originally been a crannog site.
Loch Bhasapof has two artificial islands both of which have traces of crannog dwellings.
Loch na Buaile behind Ben Gott has a splendid example, as the causeway leading from the shore can still be seen. It is shown on the 2 1/2 inch Ordnance map.
Loch na Gile behind thce Ringing Stone also has evidence of a crannog.
The Ringing Stone or Clack a'Choire
This is perhaps Three's most fascinating 'ancient monument'. It is a huge boulder, thought to be an erratic from Rhum in the Ice Age, which lies poised on a rocky base but leaving a hollow underneath. It has fifty three circular cup markings which are artificial and considered to be prehistoric in origin. When struck with a small pebble it produces a variety of metallic ringing strands - hence its name. Legend has it that should the Ringing Stone ever be shattered, Tiree would sink beneath thc waves! The Ringing Stone, which is about 5ft high and very roughly oval in shape, lies near the shore and can be reached either from Balephetrish Farm or Dunmore at Vaul along the coast. Another approach is to walk across the island from Gott by Loch Riaghain. Which ever route you choose you will be rewarded by peace and beauty with the swoop of the lapwings and the precious solitude of lonely places.
Brochs
A Broth is a circular dry stone tower large enough to serve as a fortitied home. Tiree has the remains of two broths - one at Vaul and the other at Caolas.
Dun Mur Vaul is a splendid example of thc semi-broch, having been excavated in 1962-1964 by Professor Mackie who published his results in 1474 under the title "Dun Mor Vaul, an Iron Agc Broth on Tiree". The ground floor galleried are there to be seen today.
Dun Mor a' Chaplain. (the great fort of Caolas) also of the semi-broch type, is much decayed but is visible from most parts of the island. It is worth climbing as you are rewarded with a magnificent panorama of Mull. Gunna. Coll and the mainland.
Duns
Tiree is rich in duns, a Celtic word meaning a hill or fort. They acre usually built on rocky promontaries or offshore islands. only occasionally being found inland. Tiree has three inland Duns:
- Dun Ibrig - Baugh
- Dun an t'Sithean - Ben Gott
- Dun Ceann a'Bhaigh - Kenovay
Dun Ceann a'Bhaigh stood virtually at the center of Tiree and is said to have been the island arsenal. The stones wre taken away during the last century to built the Galloway dyke which runs from the Kenovay gate down to Crossapol and then a short way along the road towards Island House. Quite a large portion of this splendid construction is still in its original form and well worth examining.
The following is a list of the names of the coastal duns showing how extensive they were. We start at Caolas and work round the coast in an anti-clockwise direction:
- Dun Beag - Caolas
- An Dunan - Salum (on rocky island)
- Dun Beag - Vaul
- Broch, Dun Beag - Vaul
- An Dun - Balephetrith
- Dun Balephetrith - Balephetrith Hill
- Dun Beannaig - Balevullin
- Dun Boraige Bige - Balevullin
- Dun Boraige Moire - Balevullin
- Dun Hanais - Hough
- An Dun - kenavara (on rocky island)
- Dun nan Gall - Kenavarav
- Eileen na Ba - Kenavara (on rocky island)
- Dunan Nighean - Balephuil
- Dun Hiader - Hynish
- Dun na Cleite - Hynish
- Hynish - Hynish
- Dun Heanish - Heanish
- An Dun, Rubha Sgibinis - Skipness
- Dun Mor a'Chaplain - Caolas